Re: My 392

[Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided>]

"John A. Landry" wrote:
> First you seem to indicate you were *attempting* to find TDC, but you say
> "stopped pushing air out."  The proper way is to indeed feel the air
> *start* coming out, but then you refer to the harmonic balancer and
> continue rotating the crank until the timing mark is lined up with the 0
> degree mark on the timing gear cover.

OK, first off, I admit I'm on thin ice.  I've been fortunate to not have
any particular engine troubles that required me to delve into any of
this as far as I am thus far.. all new to me!

I put my thumb over #8 and we rotated the crank via a 15/16" socket
until I no longer felt air coming out.  We went a little past "no air". 
I was under the (wrong?) assumption this would be TDC (at the end of the
compression stroke?).  I then looked and noted the timing mark was in
the general vicinity of the degree marks.  I did NOT scrape the balancer
clean and actually LOOK.  I (again, wrongly) assumed that I just wanted
to confirm the timing mark was in the "right" location - couldn't it
have also been 180 degrees off, which might indicate I was NOT on the
compression stroke, but the exhaust stroke, right?  That's all I
*thought* was confirming when I looked at the timing mark.

> terminal connected to the number 8 cylinder... not number 1.  You're
> confusing me here by what you're trying to do.

OK, another "bad" on my part.  Michael Shaw has a better understanding
of this than I do (he's had the heads off)

> This is good... as I said, TDC on the number 8 cylinder has to be set with
> the timing mark at 0 degrees.

OK, so I was in the "rough" vicinity of 0.. but I didn't LOOK to see if
it was truly lined up.. just confirmed that it was "near".. the balancer
mark was in the same "quadrant" as the marks on the engine.

> This sure sounds like you have the spark plugs off.  Again, at TDC the
> rotor should point exactly at the cap terminal connected to the number 8
> cylinder... not number 1.

Number 8.. not 1. ;)  I'll try shifting the wires again with this
newfound knowledge.  I should've figured this out on my own though..
DUH.. TDC #8, let's fire #1?  Not.

> Keep us posted,

Don't worry, John - I will <g>

I haven't even heard this thing fire two cylinders in a row yet.. and
I'm achin' to hear the 392 roar to life.. 

Reminds me - I need to order a RoberShaw thermostat soon.. and a couple
spring bushings.

-Tom Mandera, Helena MT
http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout
Still trying to resurrect my '72 Travelall 1110